Walking is beneficial to the physical and mental health of both the dog and dog owner. Cardiovascular exercise from walking is widely appreciated, and although less apparent, the socialization skill enhancement when dogs meet other dogs and dog owners is as valuable to both pet and pet owner.
Some restraint placed on the dog is a practical necessity in urban areas, both because of leash law regulations and traffic dangers. Restraint is also frequently required during initial stages of obedience training particularly with younger dogs. Such restraint is not natural, and collar and lead will typically trigger a pulling response as the natural reflex to restraint.
The majority of dog walking products seek control over the dog by placing some type of restraint around the muzzle, neck or chest. Through such devices, the pet owner seeks to control, restrain, correct, and direct by pulling the dog backwards by its chest or lower neck, or by pulling its head or nose/snout in a downward direction—and in a direction opposite from where the dog is presently heading.
Upon sensing this pulling force, the dog involuntarily reacts by pulling against the restraint in the opposite direction (termed an “Opposite Reflex Reaction”). This reflexive response includes a lowering of the head followed by a shift in weight and strength to the front of the body, and a leaning forward away from the pulling force of the pet owner attempting to walk the dog. Walking the dog becomes an adversarial process.
Interspersed between this tug-of-war conduct, the dog is “in the lead,” out in front, looking around, tearing from smell to smell. Where the dog walks and pulls ahead, the dog is not in a balanced and appropriately positioned relationship with the owner.